not when alan simpson talks about his own party. >> if you can't learn to compromise an issue without compromising yourself, you ought to go home. >> and does iraq owe us money? congressman dana rohrabacher sure thinks so. he told the iraqi government and was shown the door. e.d. hill asks, after eight years of fighting and dying, are americans no longer welcome? >>> then, who is this man? a national survey says only 9% of fourth-graders know. i'll ask the secretary of education. is our education policy still failing to make the grade? now for more on our breaking story. the return of that controversial anti-union law in wisconsin. joining me now is former labor secretary, robert reich, author of "aftershock," and cnn's senior political analyst david gergen. welcome to you both. secretary reich, let me start with you. is this the opening salvo in an assault on the right of workers in this nation to organize and bargain collectively? >> well, good evening, eliot. yes, i think it is. i mean, wisconsin, remember, was the first state to authorize public sector collective bargaining. and i

it gets back to alan simpson's remarks about grover norquist and aarp. we have to slow the growth of medicare and social security. the democrats don't want to talk about that by and large. we have to have taxes rise as a share of gdp when we double the number on social security and medicare. something that paul ryan or the republicans don't want to acknowledge. that will include higher taxes on people under $250,000 a year as we double the number of seniors in this country. something that the president and the white house won't acknowledge. so we are caught in the dualing charades with obviously the ability to make a solution, you know, stuck through all of this. >> thank you. >> sure. >> y'all think it will be increased, i think it will be temporarily or sometime and then they'll have a conversation about dealing with the real problem that we are all talking about here. but let me tell you about a little scenario on december 24th, 2009. and we were in a situation where we were asked to increase the debt limit. and the pressure on all republicans was to

they were trying to work on, $4 trillion over a decade, along the framework erskine bowles and alan simpsoname up with last year, or do you see a smaller deal, half that amount, whatever can be agreed on in what is a short period of time between now and august 2? >> i think it all depends on president obama. if president obama decides if he wants to embrace a plan much like the deficit commission he appointed or the gang of six, and that would have to include entitlements, he can get that. he can go down in history as a president who made a courageous decision and i think he would have bipartisan support for it. if on the other hand, he and the democratic leaders decide they want to beat up republicans on the medicare issue in the next election, he will not get that. i hope he will do the former. we badly need to deal with the debt. we are borrowing 40 cents of every dollar we spend. i come from a state where i was governor where we had zero highway debt. we had none. all of our gas tax money goes to build roads here. so much of it goes to interest on the debt. we have got to stop this. >>

we will also hear from former republican senator alan simpson who cochaired the national commission on fiscal responsibility and reform. >> i'm not going to reveal too much or negotiate here. it is a very serious process. there is a real seriousness of purpose in the room. everybody at that table takes it very seriously and comes very well-prepared. it goes line by line for the details. the talks are tough but they are positive and progress continues to be made. let me make a few general points -- #one, we should be engaged in this process of seeking a bipartisan downpayment on deficit reduction regardless of whether or not there was a debt limit issue. it is important for us to show the american public and broader markets that despite our deep divisions in washington, we are capable of coming together to make progress on getting our fiscal house in order and showed we can live within our means. i think that would be a very positive developments. . progress in the 1990's was not made all in one swoop. it was a combination of the 1990 budget agreement, the 1993 budget agreement, the 199

in this 20 minute portion you will also hear from former republican senator alan simpson, who cochaired the national commission on fiscal responsibility and reform. >> thank you. i'm sorry i could not be here at my initial time. but we were in -- i don't know if it is meeting six or seven of the group, and it won't surprise you to know that i'm not going to reveal too much or negotiate, but i will say the following. it is a very serious process, there is a seriousness of purpose in the room. everybody at that table takes it very seriously and comes well-prepared, and goes line by line through the details. so the talks are toft believe cutoff but positive and progress continues to be made. let me just make a few general points. number one, we should be engaged in this process of seeking a bipartisan down payment on deficit reduction regardless of whether or not there was a debt limit issue. it is important for us to show the american public of a broad market's that despite our deep divisions in washington we are capable of coming together to make progress on getting our fiscal house in o

it gets back to alan simpson's remarks about grover norquist and aarp. we have to slow the growth of medicare and social security. the democrats don't want to talk about that by and large. we have to have taxes rise as a share of gdp when we double the number on social security and medicare. something that paul ryan or the republicans don't want to acknowledge. that will include higher taxes on people under $250,000 a year as we double the number of seniors in this country. something that the president and the white house won't acknowledge. so we are caught in the dualing charades with obviously the ability to make a solution, you know, stuck through all of this. >> thank you. >> sure. >> y'all think it will be increased, i think it will be temporarily or sometime and then they'll have a conversation about dealing with the real problem that we are all talking about here. but let me tell you about a little scenario on december 24th, 2009. and we were in a situation where we were asked to increase the debt limit. and the pressure on all republicans was to

and the truth of the matter is if you talk to republicans who are not currently in office like alan simpson who co-chaired my bipartisan position, help doesn't think that's a sustainable position. another co-chaired something with a democratic. he said you can't reduce the deficit to the levels that it needs to be reduced without having some revenue in the mix. and the revenue we're talking about isn't coming out of the pockets of middle class families who are struggling. it's coming out of the pockets of those doing extraordinarily well and enjoying the lowest tax rates since before i was born. if you were a wealthy c.e.o. or hedge fund manager in america right now. your taxes are lower than they have ever been. they are lower than they've been since the 1950's. and you can afford it. you'll still be able to ride on your corporate jet. you're just going to have to pay a little more. and if we, i just want to emphasize what i said earlier. if we do not have revenues, that means there are a bunch of kids out there who are not getting college scholarships. if we do not have those revenues the

and the truth of the matatter i if you talk to republicans who are not currently in office, like alan simpson pete domenici says he doesn't think that's a sustainable position. you can't reduce the deficit to the levels that it needs to be duced without having some revenue in the mix. and the revenue we're talking about isn't coming out of the pockets of middle-class families that are struggling. it's coming out of folks who are doing extraordinarily well and are enjoying the lowest tax rates since before i was born. if you are a wealthy ceo or hedge fund manager in america right now, you're taxes are lolor than they have ever been. they're lower than they've been since the 1950's. and you can afford it. you'll still be able to ride on your corporate jet. you're just going to have to pay a little more. and if we -- i just want to emphasize what i said earlier. if we do not have revenues, that means there are a bunch of kids out there who are not getting college scholarships. if we do not have those revenues, then the kinds of cuts that would be required might compromise the national weather s

president obama appointed the fiscal commission cochaired by alan simpson, our former senator and erskine bowles, former chief of staff to president clinton, erskine bowles and senator simpson told us that the budget committee that we are facing the most predictable debt crisis in this nation's history. the most predictable economic crisis in our nation's history. in other words, they explain that the debt trajectory that we are on guarantees an economic crisis. the question is when? so that's why we have got to change. we don't want to have to cut any spending. the last thing politicians want to do is cut spending. the reason we're talking about this is because we have to, and i do believe president obama deserves severe criticism for not being out leading on this, not telling the american people what his own experts are telling him. this was his expert, mr. bowles, his secretary of treasury mr. geithner, telling us we have got to change the debt path we are on. he needs to help explain to the american people why this is necessary, why it will be painful in the short run but can put us o

erskine bowles and alan simpson, they testified and said we're facing the most predictable economic crisis in our nation's history. the most predictable. and when asked when it might happen, mr. bowles said, two years give or take. so we don't know what's going to happen. i think we've got to just grow up, realize that we have placed our nation in financial jeopar jeopardy, that this country has spent money in did not have to a degree greater than this nation has ever spent before except maybe in the height of world war ii when the entire nation was in a life-and-death struggle. we've never spent this kind of money. we've never had these kind of deficits. many remember the big fight over spending in the mid-1990's and resulted in the balancing of the budget in the late-1990's. that was a much simpler problem than we've got today. i've look ad ated at the number. to get this country to a balanced budget is going to take some very, very serious, sustained work. it is going to be much more significant than it was in the mid-1990's. and we simply cannot grow this comirks which is the key to ge

if you talk to republicans who are not currently in office, like alan simpson who cochaired my bar private -- might bipartisan commission, he does not think that is a sustainable position. pete dementia does not think that that is a sustainable position. you can reduce the deficit to the levels that it needs to be reduced without having some revenue in the mix. and the revenue we are talking about is not coming out of the pockets of middle-class families that are struggling. it is coming of folks who are doing extraordinarily well and are enjoying the lowest tax rates since before i was born. if you're a wealthy ceo or hedge fund manager in america right now, your taxes are lower than they have been ever. they're lower than they have been since the 1950's. and you can afford it. you will still be able to ride on your corporate jet. you'll just have to pay little more. i just want to emphasize what i said earlier. if we do not have revenues, that means there are a bunch of kids out there who are not getting college scholarships. if we do not have those revenues, then the kinds of cuts that

the truth of the matter is, if you talk to republicans who are not currently in office, like alan simpson, who cochaired by a bipartisan commission, he does not think that is a sustainable position. pete domenici says he does not think that is a sustainable position. you cannot reduce the deficit to levels it needs to be reduced without having some revenue in the mix and the revenue we are talking about is not coming out of the pockets of middle-class families that are struggling. it is coming out of folks who are doing extraordinarily well and are enjoying the lowest tax rates since before i was born. if you are a wealthy ceo or hedge fund manager right now in america right now, your taxes are lower than they have ever been. lower than they have been since the 1950's, and you can afford it. you will still be able to ride on your corporate jet. you just have to pay a little more. i just want to publicize what i said earlier. if we do not have revenues, that means there are a bunch of kids out there that are not getting college scholarships. if we do not have those revenues, then the kinds

the president's fiscal commission are symbols, alan simpson commission and the bipartisan policy matters, both strongly acknowledge the need to do both cutting spending and raising revenue. the democrats proposed budget for fiscal 2012 tackles the deficit responsibly by both spending cuts and revenue increases. these include reductions from elimination of duplicate of spending, fraud, waste and abuse are streamlining government to make it more efficient and eliminating those that don't work well protect the nose in the nation. it includes the implementation of health care reform to save $1.2 trillion in health costs over 20 years. it increases revenue by ending tax cuts for wealthiest americans saving a hundred billion over the years and ending corporate tax rates that bring in billions more. the democratic should make smart, strategic investments in education, innovation and come infrastructure and research and development which will strength and economic competitiveness to promote private-sector job growth and expand our economy. this is balanced, fair and responsible approach that it

here are the two cochairs of the president's debt commission, erskine bowles and alan simpson in a recent op-ed in politico -- "a credible plan must address the growth of entitlement spending." here is the president himself. "to presoirve long-term fiscal health, we must address the growing health in medicare and social security." that's the president of the united states. as for me, i have been clear on this same point in public and private the moment i stepped out of a meeting with the president and other meet members on may 12. so it is not exactly a groundbreaking observation. they have to involve entitlement reform. since no one believes we can actually get at our fiscal problems without it. this is what serious people expect and are hoping for out of these talks. the moment rirks as i've said for weeks, three things. real cuts in spending over the short-term; that is, over the next two years, not more spending increases or freezes. second, real cuts over the medium-term, that is, over the next ten years, with enforceable caps on spending. and, third, meaningful reforms to entitlemen

if you talk to republicans who are not currently in office, like alan simpson who cochaired my bar private -- might bipartisan commission, he does not think that is a sustainable position. pete dementia does not think that that is a sustainable position. you can reduce the deficit to the levels that it needs to be reduced without having some revenue in the mix. and the revenue we are talking about is not coming out of the pockets of middle-class families that are struggling. it is coming of folks who are doing extraordinarily well and are enjoying the lowest tax rates since before i was born. if you're a wealthy ceo or hedge fund manager in america right now, your taxes are lower than they have been ever. they're lower than they have been since the 1950's. and you can afford it. you will still be able to ride on your corporate jet. littlejust have to pay more. i just want to emphasize what i said earlier. if we do not have revenues, that means there are a bunch of kids out there who are not getting college scholarships. if we do not have those revenues, then the kinds of cuts that will be

the truth of the matter is that if you talk to republicans who are not currently in office, like alan simpson from my bipartisan commission, he does not think that that is a sustainable position. pete bemidji cochaired something with alice little and says that he does not think is a sustainable position. but you cannot reduce the deficit to the level and needs to be reduced without having some revenue in the mix. and it is not com out of the pockets of struggling middle class families. it is coming from folks who are doing extraordinarily well and who are enjoying the lowest tax rate since before i was born. if you are a wealthy sea of -- ceo or hedge fund manager in america right now, your taxes are lower than they have ever been since the 1950's. and you can afford it. you can still ride your corporate jet. just pay a little more. to emphasize what we said earlier, if we do not have revenues, it means that there are a bunch of kids out there not getting scholarships. if we do not have those revenues, the kinds of cuts that would be required might compromise the national weather service. it

the president's fiscal commission are symbols, alan simpson commission and the bipartisan policy mattersth strongly acknowledge the need to do both cutting spending and raising revenue. the democrats proposed budget for fiscal 2012 tackles the deficit responsibly by both spending cuts and revenue increases. these include reductions from elimination of duplicate of spending, fraud, waste and abuse are streamlining government to make it more efficient and eliminating those that don't work well protect the nose in e nation. it includes the implementation of health care reform to save $1.2 trillion in health costs over 20 years. it increases revenue by ending tax cuts for wealthiest americans saving a hundred billion over the years and ending corporate tax rates that bring in billions more. the democratic should make smart, strategic investments in education, innovation and come infrastructure and research and development which will strength and economic competitivene to promote private-sector job growth and expand our economy. this is balanced, fair and responsible approach that it is a cle

bowles, former chief of staff to president clinton, and alan simpson in their fiscal commission report said that we are facing the most predictable crisis in our history and that it could cause an economic -- economic difficulties for us soon. mr. bowles said two years, give or take. not our grandchildren, but soon. this is why the experts are -- so we've got a problem. i don't believe we have in the white house any call to the kind of action necessary to alter the debt trajectory we are on, which is unsustainable. i don't think the american people fully understand, but they understand enough to punish the congress in this last election. i'm afraid they're going to punish us again because no congress can defend itself from the criticism that you have provided members of -- presided members of congress over a government that is borrowing 40 cents of every dollar you spend, that spends $3,700,000,000,000 and takes in only $2,200,000,000,000. and we just borrow the rest. and we're on a path that doesn't alter that. the president's budget, the most irresponsible ever submitted, made our de

the president's fiscal commission are symbols, alan simpson commission and the bipartisan policy mattersneed to do both cutting spending and raising revenue. the democrats proposed budget for fiscal 2012 tackles the deficit responsibly by both spending cuts and revenue increases. these include reductions from elimination of duplicate of spending, fraud, waste and abuse are streamlining government to make it more efficient and eliminating those that don't work well protect the nose in the nation. it includes the implementation of health care reform to save $1.2 trillion in health costs over 20 years. it increases revenue by ending tax cuts for wealthiest americans saving a hundred billion over the years and ending corporate tax rates that bring in billions more. the democratic should make smart, strategic investments in education, innovation and come infrastructure and research and development which will strength and economic competitiveness to promote private-sector job growth and expand our economy. this is balanced, fair and responsible approach that it is a clear contrast to the repub